Where They Belong Again
by Jess.91
Summary: James Potter knew he was dead. He knew his wife would be dead soon, too. And when Lily did join him, they could only hope their son would be safe and wonder what came next. Connected to In The Forest Again and At The Castle Again. Oneshot.


Well I did this for Remus and Tonks, and for Sirius, so I thought I'd give James and Lily a go. The title sucks because I really couldn't think of one. Let me know what you think of the fic, please. (Wow I'm so polite)

Where They Belong Again

Summary: James Potter knew he was dead. He knew his wife would be dead soon, too. And when Lily did join him, they could only pray theirson would be safe and wonder what came next. Connected to In The Forest Again and At The Castle Again.

James Potter knew, the very moment he was able to think, he knew he was dead. He remembered, clearly, running to the door, screaming at his wife to get their son and go, and he remembered the flash of green that claimed his life.

He knew that where ever he was now, it wasn't the same place he'd just left.

He sat up, then stood, and looked around himself, and smiled a little, despite the situation, and his worry and grief and anger, because he _was_ at the place he'd just left. His house. His home. Only, it was light, and empty. He knew it was empty, that there was no Voldemort or Lily or Harry upstairs.

This, he decided, was just to make the transition easier. Somewhere, there'd be a place he'd have to go, to go to...well, where ever you went when you were dead.

Lily. The thought that formed next was that. Lily. And Harry. Oh, god.

He knew, knew as surely as he knew his own name, that Lily would die too. He knew there was nothing that could be done to stop that now, not by him. And he knew that Lily was prepared to lay their last hope on an ancient charm that they didn't know would work.

No body ever lived when Voldemort didn't want them to.

James closed his eyes, filled with guilt and disgust in himself, because he'd failed. He'd sworn to protect Lily and Harry, and yet when Voldemort attacked, what did he do? Rushed forward without thinking, without even grabbing his wand, and got himself killed.

He'd known, all along, that he couldn't kill Voldemort - although he was prepared to die trying - but he'd hoped he'd be able to give Lily enough time to get Harry and run. She'd've gone to Dumbledore, and he'd have protected them.

But Lily had been upstairs, with Harry, wandless herself.

Wormtail. Peter. His friend, who'd he grown up with, loved. He'd betrayed them? No, it couldn't be. There must have been something else, or the spell hadn't worked or...

But in his heart, he knew Peter had betrayed him, betrayed Lily, betrayed Harry.

The room started to spin and blur, and, dizzy, James closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Lily, his Lily, was sitting up on the floor, her eyes wild, her face soaked with tears.

He ran forward, pulled her to her feet, and hugged her close, as a part of him wondered how he could still feel her if he was dead.

For a minute, maybe longer, maybe less, they stood, holding on to each other in silence. Finally, he drew back, and brushed the tears from beneath her eyes.

"I begged him." She whispered hoarsely. "I begged him. Pleaded. For him to kill me and not Harry. But it was Harry he wanted. I don't know why I thought I could convince him to -"

"Shh. Of course you tried. You had to try everything. I would've, too."

"He killed me. Do you think...could it have saved Harry?"

"I hope so." James murmured, and glanced around.

"It was Peter." Lily said softly. "Peter was the spy, Peter got us killed. He helped Voldemort get to Harry." Her voice was low, dangerous, and full of hate.

"I know."

"And...Oh, no. Sirius." The hate and anger left her voice, filled with despair and horror. "They'll think it was Sirius. No one knew we switched, even Dumbledore, they'll think it was Padfoot and he'll be in trouble for it-"

"Lily. _Lily_. Padfoot will be OK. Peter can't run forever, they'll find out eventually. Sirius'll be OK." He spoke soothingly, trying to calm his wife, will his own heart sank with worry. Would everyone think it was Sirius? Would he go to prison, or worse?

"We're in our house." Lily stated, a little confused, only just having noticed their surroundings. For a minute, she'd just needed James.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I...Maybe because we died here? But I...I think because this is our - well, my - favourite place in the world. Our first home. With you and Harry."

"Mine too." Lily said softly, then, biting her lip, she cast her eyes to the ceiling. "Do you think...if Harry...would he be in his room? I mean...if he's going to...he would be by now."

She couldn't even say the word. Dead. Not Harry. Not her baby.

"Maybe." James said. "Do you think we can go upstairs?" When she shrugged, he took her hand - he wasn't going to let her go, risk losing her - and they went upstairs together, and into Harry's room.

It had Harry's cot, his clothes, his toys. But no Harry.

"I think he's alive." Lily whispered. "I can feel it." She raised her free hand, pressed it to her heart. "I can feel him, alive. Not safe." Her eyes sparkled with tears. "He's not going to be safe for a long, long time. But he's alive. Can you feel it?"

"Yes. I can." He murmured, truthfully. "What do we do now?"

"We're dead. We have to leave this place, don't we? I mean, there must be something else, something more, or, or just the end. Nothingness. But not this." she looked up, into his eyes.

"We need to leave the house." James said softly, and she nodded, but didn't move. Instead, she cast her eyes around the room.

"It'll be destroyed, won't it? Harry's room, his things? Or left. He won't be able to take them all, have them all." And she moved forward, letting go of James, to Harry's cot. She reached inside, scared she wouldn't be able to touch it, towards his blanket.

Her fingers closed around it, and with a relieved sob, she lifted it, pressed it to her face.

"He'll be OK." James told her, joining her, wrapping his arms around her. "You know he will. He's strong. Takes after his mother."

"It's not going to be easy." Lily said, her voice muffled by the thick fabric. "Without us. And...he's going to be the one to kill him. Voldemort. Isn't he?"

"I think so." James murmured.

"I can't...stay here. Let's go." She lowered the blanket, stumbled from the room, blinded by her tears. James helped her down the stairs, and they both halted at the front door.

"We have to go through it, don't we?" James said softly, and when Lily nodded, he reached for the handle. "Are you ready?"

"No. Not really." She replied, shaking her head and thinking of her son. "But I have to. We have to. It's time. Our time."

He pulled open the door, and they both stepped forward, grasping hands, into blinding white light, nothing and everything, into whatever comes next, the both of them feeling as though they had abandoned their only child, both of them wanting to run back and find him, protect him. But both of them glad they were together. They belonged together, no matter what.


End file.
